Picture Framers & Frame Makers in the UK

Finding a good picture framer in the UK

A picture framer makes the frame to the picture, not the other way round: measured to the millimetre, the mount cut to set it off, the moulding chosen from hundreds of samples, glass picked for the room, and the back sealed so dust and damp stay out. It is a craft trade with a workshop behind the counter, and the difference from a ready-made frame shows in the corners, the mount and how the picture looks in ten years. Most framers also stretch canvases, frame objects and textiles in box frames, and restore or reframe pictures that have been badly done.

The choices that matter are the mount, the glass and the materials. Conservation mount board and UV-filtering glass keep a print or photograph from fading and yellowing; standard board and float glass are fine for a poster. Anti-reflective glass makes a difference opposite a window; acrylic is lighter and safer for large pieces and children's rooms. A good framer asks where the picture will hang and what it is worth to you before suggesting any of it, and quotes before cutting.

The listings here show each framer's reviews, specialisms, turnaround and contact details, so you can see who is nearby, who frames shirts and objects or works on valuable art, and whose corners people in your town admire.

What picture framers do

Made-to-measure framing: prints, paintings, photographs, certificates, maps and needlework, with mounts cut to fit and mouldings from hundreds of profiles and finishes.

Canvases: stretching a rolled canvas onto bars, tray or floating frames, and reframing a canvas that has sagged.

Objects and memorabilia: football and rugby shirts, medals, watches, instruments and keepsakes in box frames, mounted so they can be removed.

Conservation: acid-free mounts and backing, UV and museum glass, hinging that does no harm, and advice on valuable or old works.

Repairs and extras: reglazing, replacing broken or foxed mounts, mirrors framed to order, and hanging fittings and advice.

Before you have something framed

• Take the picture in, or measure it exactly and photograph it, and say where it will hang.
• Ask about conservation materials for anything you want to keep: original art, photographs, signed prints and certificates.
• Choose glass for the room: UV-filtering for anything that fades, anti-reflective opposite a window, acrylic for large or high-traffic pieces.
• Ask for a written quote before cutting; framing is priced by size, moulding and glass.
• Ask the turnaround, usually one to three weeks, and whether an express service exists.
• For a shirt or object, ask how it is mounted and whether it can be removed undamaged later.

What picture framing costs in the UK

As a rough guide, framing an A4 print with a mount and standard glass costs £40 to £70, an A3 £60 to £110, an A2 £90 to £170 and an A1 £140 to £280; a canvas stretched £30 to £80 and framed in a tray frame £60 to £200; a football shirt box-framed £90 to £180; and a certificate £35 to £60. Conservation board adds 10 to 20 per cent, UV glass 20 to 40 per cent and museum glass considerably more; wide or hand-finished mouldings raise the price. Express turnaround adds 25 to 50 per cent.

A well-framed picture is the cheapest good thing in a room; a badly framed one is cheap in the other sense, and the framer will show you the difference in the corners.